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2024 Best Schools for the Arts in America

Best for the arts

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    Best High Schools for the Arts

    Students who have an affinity for art or plan to pursue it as a career don't have to wait until college to start art school. Arts high schools give students the opportunity to pursue their passions while still fulfilling traditional high school requirements.

    Even students who don't plan to major in art can benefit from attending an arts high school. Demonstrating a passion and excelling in an extracurricular activity are oft-cited tips for gaining entrance into selective colleges, and attending a competitive arts high school lets you do both!

    Benefits of Attending an Arts High School

    If you're passionate about fine arts, attending one of the best high schools for the arts has a lot of benefits, including:

    Training

    Instead of having to pay for and attend lessons after school, students at arts-based high schools get high-quality lessons during the school day. Arts-based high schools centralize the process and save you time by incorporating lessons into your regular education. You'll also get lots of exposure to the audition process and have opportunities you might not otherwise.

    Environment

    If your zoned high school focuses on sports more than any other extracurricular activity, you'll appreciate the change of being surrounded by students, teachers, and administrators who value the arts as much as you do. Instead of feeling like an outlier, you'll feel like you've found your people.

    Creativity

    You'll have plenty of opportunities to express your creativity. Arts high schools have more plays, performances, and exhibitions than traditional high schools. You won't have to wait for the yearly showcase to perform in a show or exhibit your art.

    Differences Between Arts High Schools and Traditional High Schools

    Your days may be longer at the best schools for the arts. In addition to intensively studying your art, you'll be studying all the traditional high school subjects. Students frequently attend classes and lessons until 5:00 instead of having a traditional school day. At Interlochen, one of the top arts high schools, most students live on campus so they're immersed in the environment 24/7.

    Don't expect to neglect your non-arts subjects. Those classes will be just as rigorous as they would be at any good high school — if not more so.

    Although an arts high school will provide the same core curriculum as most high schools, the electives and extracurricular activities won't be as wide-ranging. Most arts high schools don't have sports teams, and most electives will be art-related.

    You may have to travel to find a good arts high school. Most day schools are located in big cities. There are some top-rated art schools in beautiful remote locations, but they're primarily boarding schools.

    Unless you're zoned for a public arts high school, which is rare, you'll probably have to audition to get in. If you're accepted, you can expect to be surrounded by other hard-working and ambitious artists who take their work and play very seriously.

    Conclusion

    Attending an arts high school gives students who are highly creative and devoted to their art a place to shine. You'll likely have an edge when it comes to applying to collegiate art programs as well. There are a wide range of arts high schools, from free public high schools to exclusive and expensive private options. If you're fiercely passionate about the arts, one may be perfect for you.